


Tag

by StarfallGalaxy



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Fluff, ZADF, him being a kid gives me life, let Zim be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24103504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarfallGalaxy/pseuds/StarfallGalaxy
Summary: Zim watched in horror as suddenly the kids parted like the Red Sea, doing their weird little joy noises. Some went left, some zig zagged, some went right...all keeping far away from Zita and her outstretched hand. It was like she had contracted some sort of disease.
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 75





	Tag

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Megxolotl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megxolotl/gifts).



Zim didn’t understand Earth games. They were loud and rushed, filled with screams that made him confused as to why the humans  _ kept  _ playing these games. If they were terrified then why participate? Were they like the smeet’s training headsets where they were a required military exercise? Because in that case Zim could probably just squeak his way through either pretending to complete them or just destroying his teammates so he won by default. 

Either way, it was better than having his lekku yanked on or being kicked by the others just like back in training under Irk’s surface for being small.

This particular morning, Zim was startled by a loud shriek as Torque playfully tapped Zita’s shoulder, “Tag! You’re it, Zita!”

The purple haired girl stood stock straight like a bolt of lightning hit her, turning her head demonically towards the beefy boy, though she was...smiling? ”Torque you jerk get back here!”

“No tag backs! No tag backs!” 

Zim watched in horror as suddenly the kids parted like the Red Sea, doing their weird little joy noises. Some went left, some zig zagged, some went right...all keeping far away from Zita and her outstretched hand. It was like she had contracted some sort of disease. 

Immediately, Zim looked for a way out of this situation. How contagious were these germs? Did only one pig child carry it at a time? Could it affect hi-

_ Tap. _

...Zim slowly turned to Zita, her face stretched into a wide smile.

“AGH! GERMS!” Zim screeched, nearly falling over trying to get away. “I’VE BEEN EFFECTED!”

His screams of terror were cut off by familiar-and obnoxious-laughter. He panted, his eyes wide as he looked up at Dib smirking over his  _ Giant Book of Spookie-Doo.  _ The boy’s glasses were held together by tape still from the last time they had fought yesterday, his pirate smile just as fanged and gagged as ever. In this light the tiny spots on Dib’s skin were even more obvious. They’d be pretty if they weren’t on such a stupid, big head. Oh, how Zim hated him. 

“You moron! You don’t even know what tag is!” The paranormal investigator laughed, kicking his legs as he did. 

“Oh, shut  _ up _ , Dib. You weren’t participating, either, you weirdo,” Jessica snorted, pushing past the sea of gathered kids with her ‘pop-ule-arity’ powers. “Now what’s going on here, new kid? You could just say you don’t wanna play.”

Zim blinked at her, the word ‘weirdo’ echoing in his head. Dib was weird for not playing this game. Therefore, this must have been a ‘normal’ game. And to the humans, anything ‘weird’ was singled out. And if he was singled out, how was he ever gonna complete his mission and please his Tallest? He  _ had  _ to find out what this ‘tag’ was. For the good of the mission!

“Um...uh…” He righted himself, brushing his dress- that’s what humans called it, anyway- off. “I never said I didn’t want to play! It’s just that...uh...in my...country...they outlawed tag! Yes, before I was born cause of DISEASE! Yes, so...uh…”

Zim looked down, feigning as pout and a ‘poor me’ look.

“I’ve never played tag before. I didn’t think it was legal here…”

Dib snorted, but all the other kids gave him a sympathetic look. Jessica sighed, rubbing her temples. It was hard being this popular. You were always expected to teach the new kid the ropes just to establish order in your kingdom. What a drag...

“Okay, it’s very simple. Zim, tag me,” Zita stuck out her hand to the weird green kid. Thank god he had gloves on… “C’mon. It’s okay.”

Zim stretched out his claws, very quickly tapping the offered hand before yanking his hand back. He held it as if it was burned. The Irken was half surprised about how nonchalantly these humans had been accepting his presence so far. He thought they’d be more...vicious.

“Okay, now I’m it again!” Zita held up her hand and waltzed over to the Letter M, poking him. “And all you have to do to stop being ‘it’ is to tag someone else. Just like I did to M.”   
“Yeah, but it ain’t that easy, cause people gonna run when they see you’re it. So then you gotta catch ‘em!” Melvin piped up, clapping his hands together.

Zim tilted his head, nodding slowly. But what was the purpose of this? Why so much touching? Is this how smeets learn to fend for themselves on Earth? 

“Alright, let's go! M’s it!” Someone shouted, and suddenly everyone was running again. Except this time there was his name being called out.

“Come on, Zim!” “This way!” “What are you waiting for?!”

Zim’s legs started going before his PAK thought about it, the Irken dodging screaming children and especially M. He felt wind in his face, the warm sun against his PAK and a very tickly sensation in his spooch. Slowly, he began to notice how everyone was laughing more than shrieking. Especially the few younger students who had been allowed to join.

Zim felt something bubbling up as he almost crashed into Zita, skidding to a halt with Melvin as the two were almost cornered by the new ‘it’ before calling about the ‘safe space’. Panting, he felt someone grab his hand and pull him along. At first, he feared he’d been caught but he noticed that it was just Libby, who started explaining how the jungle gym was the safe place and you could stay there for 20 seconds as long as you touched it.

It reached its peak as soon as he touched the bars, the infectious giggling breaking through. He stared at the new ‘it’. Torque looked big but he was faster, he knew it. Unfortunately, the rocks didn’t.

He slipped as soon as he made a break for it, feeling his arm being poked. He had been ‘tagged’. A playful growl started up as soon as he heard ‘Zim is it! Everybody run!’, becoming a maniacal cackle as he chased the humans. They were more agile than expected.

He stopped for a bit, panting, giving up on chasing Keef. That boy was crazy fast. However, two people seemed not to have moved from their spots. One potential victim who’s beeping machine who could spell death if he were to tag her and another who was a much more appealing- and deserving- victim. 

Dib leaned to the side, watching Zim play with the others. Hmph. They’d never accepted  _ him  _ like that. They always pointed and laughed at his studies, jeering at the truth like he wasn’t Earth’s last hope. 

“Are you jealous of Zim?” Gaz sighed.

“Wha-? No! I’d never be jealous of that stupid alien!” Dib huffed, burying his face back into his book. What did he care that a literal space alien was more socially acceptable than he was?

Yeah...stupid Zim.

“Diiiiiib~” Speak of the Devil.

Dib was probably about to say something very biting and something a very clever, brave hero would say but before he could Zim pressed a claw to his nose, making him go cross-eyed. There was a pause, before a collective gasp from the class echoed around the playground like Zim had just stuck his hand into a shark’s mouth. 

“Victory for Zim! The Dib is it!” Zim cheered, bouncing away a few feet like an excited puppy. Then he had the audacity to turn, a smirk on his face now like he was challenging Dib to a duel. 

Dib let his book slide to the ground. No one had tagged him before. Hell, no one in skool had made an effort to ask him to play before. Not even the rejects.

“...you...tagged me?”

“Yes, Dib-stink!” Zim ran up and poked him again, then ran back, still bouncing. “You like to chase Zim! Chase!”

“...” Dib didn’t know what powered him to stand up and bolt after the alien but it was either anger or a pure need to wipe that smirk off of his face.”I’m gonna GET YOU, Zim!”

“Get me then!” Zim called, the two weaving in and out between the still shocked skool kids before someone suddenly decided to follow the example and dash after Zim right behind Dib and then suddenly the whole skoolyard was after Zim until they all collapsed out of breath and the bell rang.

And that was how ‘Alien Tag’ was invented and Zim started his winning streak.


End file.
